Managing Work-Related Stress  

According to the Mayo Clinic, twenty-five percent of people say that their job is the primary stressor in their lives. Chances are, even if you are not included in this twenty-five percent, you’ve still experienced stress in the workplace. While experiencing some degree of stress at work may help you focus, this stress can carry over to aspects of your life. Experiencing chronic stress could lead to serious medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and depression, so it is important to learn how to manage work-related stress.
 
First, be on the lookout for these signs associated with job stress:
 
·  Headaches or other bodily aches and pains
·  Frequent colds and infections
·  Upset stomach
·  Difficulty sleeping
·  Forgetfulness, disorganization and problems concentrating
·  Becoming easily agitated, frustrated and moody
·  Job dissatisfaction and low morale
 
Chronic work-related stress can stem from a number of sources. The most common stressors are due to a feeling of losing control. Maybe you’re feeling uncertain about which responsibilities are your and which are those of a coworkers. Stress can also occur when you have too much on your plate too often. Many people experience increased stress when their already busy schedules are made more hectic by a lack of support or poor communication skills; whether laterally or from the top down. Not everyone loved his or her job all of the time; but hating your job and what you do every day can stress anyone out.
 

In order to start coping with these stressors, try keeping a stress inventory: For one week write down the situations, events and people who cause you to have a negative physical, mental or emotional response. Give a brief description of the situation and your reaction. After a week, take a look back at your stress inventory. Pick one situation to work on. Here are a few problem-solving and stress-coping techniques you could try:
 
·  Meet with your boss: Ask your boss if you can schedule a time to sit down every 3 to 6 months to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your performance or workload.
·  Get organized: Keep track of your projects and deadlines by making a list of what’s urgent. Decide what matters the most and what can wait.
·  Learn to say “no”: Although it may seem difficult, try not to over-commit yourself. If you have too much on your plate, see if you can delegate any of your tasks to a coworker.
·  Concentrate: Ask others to give you a block of time when you are not disturbed as to limit distractions.
·  Keep perspective: Try to stay positive and remind yourself that everyone has good and bad days at work.
·  Practice self-care: During the workday, take a 10 minute break to refresh and breathe. Have an outlet from the stress at work by scheduling enjoyable activities outside of work. Also, make time to exercise, get plenty of sleep and eat a healthful diet. You may not realize it but an overall healthful lifestyle may reduce stress and will certainly reduce the detrimental effects of chronic stress on your body.
 
If you continue to experience signs of stress and burnout, consider talking with a health care professional. He or she can help assess your symptoms and help you decide on the best path forward. Just remember you need to take the first step.